Blossoming
by Kavi Leighanna
Summary: Side story to Subtle Clues Sara's past plays a major part in her relationships with her colleagues SN
1. Teaser

I got a review that said some one wanted a Nick and Sara side from Subtle Clues. Unfortunately I can't write a Catherine/Grissom story with Nick and Sara relationships thrown in for good measure so here's a side story to Subtle Clues for all of the Nick/Sara fans. It starts right after Sara and Nick arrive on the scene for Emily Turner Enjoy!

**Summary:** When Sara is forced to tell Nick and the others about her past and she needs a friend, Amanda can't be there every single moment. Sara turns to Nick for comfort and their professional relationship blossoms.

**Pairing:** Self explanatory but Sara/Nick. Catherine/Grissom will make periodic appearances, especially Catherine as she helps Sara.

**Distribution:** Once again I say ask and ye shall receive.

**Rating:** Taking a page from Subtle Clues, it will start PG-13 but it is subject to change as it is written. Most is for swearing or mild sexual content.

**Disclaimer:** If I've said it once, I've said it too many times. I swear to whatever you want that I don't own them. If I did, I'd be off writing the show and not stories about the people involved.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sara had looked for a half an hour at a dead Emily Turner but nothing was visible. She couldn't think of any theories that would support this, none at all. She took her kit, packed everything back into it and nodded for a medic to take her to the coroner. 

"Find anything?" Warrick stood in the doorway. Sara shook her head. 

"You'll find that something, Sara, you always do." She felt a sting in the side of her neck and slapped at it.

"What's wrong?" Sara shook her head and instantly regretted it. The world spun for a moment before she caught her bearings again. 

"Something bit me," she answered finally. Everything went blurry once again and Sara felt herself slipping into darkness. 

"Sara? Are you alright?"

"I can't…" then the world went black.


	2. Past and Pain

Chapter 1 Past and Pain 

"You can't leave," he scoffed. "You don't have the strength."

"I was offered a job away from here and I'm going to take it." She avoided his hint at her incompetence.

"What do you expect to find there, Sara? Love? You know I am the only one that loves you and the only one that ever will." She picked up her one large suitcase and opened the doors.

"You know you're worthless to every one but me, Sara. I am the only one that will love you."

"I'm leaving and you can't stop me, no matter what you say." He slapped her in the temple, throwing her aside, but Sara wasn't backing down, not again. Tears stung her eyes but she impatiently brushed them away. He advanced towards her but she spent more time in the apartment than he did. She knew the place better than he did. She stood and ran through the kitchen, glad that he ended up following her. He was fast, she was more agile. She was glad when she found the front door still open, the way she'd left it. She sprinted out, slamming the door behind her. __

_Sara? Please wake up Sara._

Amanda, her best friend was just coming up the stairs. Amanda took one look at Sara's teary eyes and slightly blue eye before getting out of the way and letting her run past. Amanda, on the other hand, continued forward to pick up the suitcase still sitting just outside the door. 

"Where is she?" Amanda looked up, surprised when he opened the door. 

"I was just supposed to pick up the bag. I don't know where she is." In a sense, she was telling the truth. She didn't know where Sara had gone, just knew that she had left towards the elevators. 

"I'll find her…" he growled. Amanda resisted the urge to laugh when he stormed the opposite way, towards the Turners' apartment. She sent a quick prayer to a higher being to make sure her friends were okay before following the direction Sara had gone. Towards freedom.__

_Sara, I need you to come back to me now. You can't die.  
_They met up in Amanda's car, Sara shaking in fear. Amanda climbed in the car and turned it on without a word. They drove back to Amanda's house in silence, Sara's sporadic sobs the only sound throughout the whole car. Amanda opened the door in silence, guiding Sara in and leaving the bag in the car, for now. 

"What are you going to do now, Sara?" Amanda asked finally, when Sara had calmed down and had a warm cup of coffee in her hands.

"I was offered a job at a crime lab in Vegas from an old friend. I'll go move there and get away from the memories here." Sara shrugged. Amanda nodded in understanding. Anything but staying here.__

_Come back, Sara. We love you and you need to come back._

"A friend," Amanda asked slyly.

"Dr. Gil Grissom. I went to a couple of his criminalist seminars…"

"I know who you're talking about, Sara."

"He just lost one of his CSI's and needs a replacement. I was first choice and I needed – need – to get away. It's exactly what I want to do and in such a famous lab…"

"You don't need to make excuses to me. There's no need to make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your enemies won't believe them."

"Who says that?"

"Me." Sara smiled and Amanda grinned back.__

_Come on, Sara. I know you can do this. You're a fighter._

"Listen, Amanda, I need you to help me keep in touch. I don't want to lose you guys. You've been through so much with me…" Amanda stood and pulled her friend into a hug, silently telling her to forget it. It was what friends were for.

"Go start a new life, Sara. You deserve it. You deserve to be away from _him_," Amanda spat out. A knock came on the door and Sara stiffened. Amanda cautiously walked to the door. Looking through the peephole, Amanda was half glad to see Emily and Ellen at the door. She opened it and let the women in. 

"How is she?" Emily asked.

"She's moving." Amanda led them into the living room where Sara was curled up at one corner of the couch, coffee in hand.

"Where are you moving to, Sar?" 

"Vegas. I was offered a CSI job there," Sara responded, looking into her cup. Emily gasped and rushed to her friend's side.

"That looks bad, Sar. Do you want some ice for it?" Sara smiled at her friend but shook her head. 

"I don't start work for another couple of weeks. It'll heal by then."__

I don't know what so important that you have to stay inside your head, Sara but we need you back here in Vegas.

"This was the last straw, huh?" Ellen asked, smiling.

"Yeah, and the job is good."

"How did you get it? No one told me you were sending an application elsewhere," Emily said. 

"A friend of mine just lost a field CSI. He offered me the job."

"He?"

"Dr. Grissom. Las Vegas Crime Lab."

"Nice. Great job."

"I'm really looking forward to it. I leave for Vegas tomorrow. You guys want to come and help me move in?" Sara asked taking a sip of her coffee. 

"Are you kidding! That might be the last time we see you for a couple of years! Of course we're coming," Ellen said with a very characteristic grin. Sara smiled in response and her friends attacked her, Amanda carefully removing the coffee from her friend's hand first. __

_You can't leave us too, Sara._

"Thanks guys," Sara said as she finally caught her breath. They took one big group hug.

"No problem, Sara. We love you," Ellen replied. 

"You guys are the greatest." Tears sprung to Sara's eyes at the words. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Sara, anytime."

Sara's eyes fluttered open to a room of white.

"Sara! Thank goodness you're okay. You had us all scared." She focused on the voice and moaned slightly.

"Nick?"

"Yeah, Sara, its me." She found herself slipping away again.

"What… happened?" Nick could sense her slipping away again and gently stroked her forehead.

"It's okay, Sara. You can fall asleep."

"Don't… go…" Sara was able to get out through her quasi-haze. 

"I won't, Sara. I won't."

Sara woke up a few more times before there when there was no one in the room, but the painkillers – taken for her fall and the subsequent headache she seemed to have – knocked her back out again. The next time she woke up was after hearing faint footfalls and her door opening.

"She may be asleep," she heard a nurse say. She opened her eyes.

"Catherine?" She cleared her throat. "What are you doing here?"

"You're collapse was on the news. Is everything alright?"

"Doctors say I've got something in my bloodstream. They're doing tests right now," she replied, a small tired grin appearing. "So it was all over the news?"

"When a CSI collapses on a scene, its big news," Catherine replied with her own emotionally exhausted smile. "We're supposedly unshakable." Then Grissom had entered. Sara was slightly surprised to see him in her hospital room. Then he mumbled something that sounded like 'My God, Catherine you're safe' and she grinned. She noticed beside her, Catherine's blush. Then his eyes met Sara's.

"Are you alright?" Sara nodded.

"Doctors still don't know what made me collapse."

"You weren't drinking or anything beforehand?" Sara shot him a glare along with Catherine and Grissom held his hands up in surrender.

"I'm a scientist. I look at all angles." The door opened and a doctor walked in. All eyes were on the medic as he looked at his clipboard.

"Miss Sidle…" he paused noticing the other occupants of the room. "Are you…"

"Family," Catherine jumped in quickly, startling Sara. Grissom shot Catherine a strange look but Sara nodded. They meant as much to her anyway and it meant a lot to her to have both of them here. The doctor nodded.

"There was morphine in your blood. Any idea how it got there?" The room was silent, every one surprised at the news.

"Morphine?" Sara finally asked in shock.

"I'll take that as a no. There wasn't enough to kill you but there was a substantial amount. I wouldn't be surprised if it was leaking into your system some how. We were able to get it out of your system quickly." The room was deathly silent as the three processed the news. Much to Sara's surprise, Catherine was the one to gain her speaking ability first. 

"Thank you, doctor," she said. "If you don't mind, we'd like some time alone with her." The doctor nodded and left. Sara was still slightly in shock.

"A CSI was attacked… _I_ was attacked," Sara whispered more to herself than the room's other occupants. Grissom, however – and much to Sara's chagrin – preferred pacing at the end of her bed. 

"Whoever it is, must believe you're dead." Both head turned to look at Catherine. She rolled her eyes.

"Think about it. We're all out on cases and Sara drops. Then the doctor tells us it was as if it was leaking into your system. It if was leaking into your system, whoever put it there in the first place must believe they'd done their job. The only other thing I don't understand is why morphine? It would take some good planning to get that into her system, especially since she was on the field."

"But it wasn't enough, and I don't take painkillers unless I absolutely have to. It still doesn't make sense," Sara said. Catherine shook her head.

"It's just a theory." Then Catherine glanced down at her watch and let out a huge sigh. "I have to go and pick up Lindsey." She stood.

"I'll come with you," Grissom jumped in quickly. Sara wanted to yell, scream, anything that would tell them that she didn't want to be left alone. 

"Sara needs her rest anyway." Sara was about to protest but then thought better of it. She didn't want to rest. She was actually terrified that if she were to fall asleep, she would be walking down memory lane. A dark and terrifying memory lane, that she never wanted to walk again.

Unfortunately, that didn't seem in the cards. Both Catherine and Grissom left, Catherine waving a slight goodbye as she left. Mind you, it had only been a few minutes before Grissom re-entered the room. Sara held back a huge grin at the defeated look on his face and instead placed a look of puzzlement on her face. 

"You and Catherine have a fight?" Grissom shook his head. Then Sara dropped the bomb.

"You will tell her soon though right?" Grissom looked up, startled. Sara rolled her eyes. They hadn't noticed yet?

"The tension between you two is so thick you'd have to cut it with a chainsaw because a knife would break on contact," she elabourated.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sara almost stared at him in disbelief. He was blind!

"Come on, Grissom! You're the one with a PhD! Think about it!" When he continued to be silent. Sara closed her eyes in a move to calm down her frustration.

"You guys like each other! Just ask her out already," she said forcefully. Grissom looked at her.

"I do not have six heads and I'm serious! Everyone at the lab, okay maybe not Nick, can feel the tension between the two of you when you're in the same room, especially when you're in close proximity." Sara could tell that Grissom was searching his scientifically full brain for something that would prove her wrong, but she could also tell that no argument was going to come. 

"Do the whole lab a favour and just ask her out to dinner. Maybe that will get rid of some of the tension and the rest of us can work in peace!" Grissom looked her in the eye and sighed.

"I know, I know, don't tell me. I'm right." Sara grinned mischievously as her mentor rolled his eyes.

"Makes ya love me all the more," she snided. Grissom shook his head and left. 

It wasn't until visiting hours came around that Nick came back. She had been waiting and looking forward to seeing him all day.

"Hey, Sidle. How are you feeling?"

"Ever been hit by a freight train?" He shook his head.

"Neither have I but I think this is what it would feel like," she said with a grin. Nick laughed.

"You must be feeling much better since you're making smart-ass remarks," he shot back. Sara blushed slightly.

"They want to keep me here… I don't know why and I'm not about to ask."

"I hear that you've had a whole lot of brain action when you've been asleep." Sara looked up at him like a deer caught in headlights. She had been dreaming but she was hoping that he wouldn't push it. 

"Naughty dreams, Sar?" She breathed a mental sigh of relief that he hadn't asked just assumed. 

"And of course, you were involved, Nicky." She noticed the blood rush to his face and couldn't help but laugh. Then his pager went off.

"Sorry Sara. Grissom's calling me in. I'll be back to check on you later," he said, dropping a light kiss to her forehead. Sara's eyes closed on reflex as his lips touched her skin. 

"Don't let him work you too hard," Sara said affectionately, giving Nick a hug. He pulled away throwing her a purely Texan grin.

Her next visitor was Catherine. Sara and Catherine had never been that close but her presence didn't seem to have the same intimidating effect on her as it had before. Then she saw the folders and groaned.

"Sorry Sara. It was Grissom's orders and Nick thought you should know about this because it's your case or something…?" Sara kept her face impassive though her emotions were running a race through her body. Emily was dead. Her stay in the hospital had made that pain duller, but now, Catherine had brought it back accidentally. 

"We've made advancements in the case," Catherine continued. Sara's confusion, however, still didn't disappear.

"Greg figures we're working on the same case. We're all working on it together now because of it. Both were raped and technically OD-ed on morphine." Sara's head shot up and Catherine smiled slightly.

"Exactly." Sara would never have been able to tell what exactly had Catherine reading her mind, but at the moment, shock was her top emotion.

"How?" Catherine shrugged.

"Many different theories."

"Care to run one by me?" Sara inquired.

"I have other things for you to worry about. Like maybe a relation to Jack Banning? Or Ellen Bizet? Or your own victim Emily Turner?" Sara looked away but Catherine pried the story out of her in one way or another.

"Catherine, please don't tell the others." Sara couldn't believe how scared and small she sounded, nor could she believe that she had said all of that to Catherine. Catherine sat back down beside Sara's bed.

"Listen, Sara, you and I have a lot more common than I thought. I'm going to ask Grissom to take you off of this case. I don't want you any more emotionally involved than you already are." Sara looked slightly surprised, but then reconsidered. She had never realized Catherine really cared and then remembered that Jack Banning was part of the case. She couldn't face him… not now, not ever. She conceded. She hated being removed from cases, but knew it would tear her apart.

"Do you have any one you'd like to see? I don't know if you should be here all by yourself with Jack being MIA." Sara opened her mouth to reply, then seemed to rethink.

"My best friend, Amanda Bell, lives just outside of Vegas." Sara quickly scrawled a number down on a scrap piece of paper that had been sitting on the table beside her.

"She also might be able to help."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Okay, so here's the first full chapter, and the set up for the same Subtle Clues parts. There's still going to be one more, especially since I cut the story out of this chapter and am going to put it in the next one when she tells Nick, Warrick and Grissom in the break room. If you want to get ahead, because I don't know how long it will be until I get to write the next one, chapter three of Subtle Clues has the abridged version that Sara told Catherine in the hospital room.__

Coming up:****

**Sara tells her friends and colleagues about her past**

**Sara and Nick become closer**

**Catherine and Sara share some more "bonding time"**

**Amanda comes to keep Sara company and help with the nightmares**

Sara faces Jack Banning in court 

Review please, please, please!

~Kavi Leighanna


	3. Interrogation

I'm hoping that this is the last chapter to set up and catch up with _Subtle Clues._ I'll try my best to make sure the next chapters are more focused on how Sara reacts to stuff and develop her relationship with Nick, especially at the end of the chapter and beginning of the next one.

Chapter 2 

**Interrogation**

Sara jumped when she heard the door slam, but shock and fear turned to surprise when she registered who exactly had entered.

"Grissom, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Sara asked, sarcasm dripping in her voice. 

"What do you have to do with Jack Banning, Sara?" Sara hated feeling insecure and hated feeling the pain that she had for so long shoved away. Grissom, much like Catherine, inadvertently brought back all of that buried pain and took her to a time she didn't want to be in. 

"I'm not discussing it. I'm guessing Catherine told you she wants me off the case?" Grissom looked puzzled.

"We talked about it. Agreed it was for the best."

"I didn't know you were that close."

"We've been through similar stuff in the past. We're more connected than you thing," Sara said calmly. Her eyes finally met Grissom's again, her strength having returned to her eyes and voice. 

"Sara, we need to know and Catherine won't tell us." Sara couldn't keep her smile in check. She couldn't believe that Catherine had really kept her secret safe.

"She really didn't? Remind me to thank her." Sara could tell Grissom was frustrated that both Catherine and Sara wouldn't tell him what was going on.

"You're off the case," he said curtly, and left. Sara had expected to be hurt, sad even, about being removed from the case on her best friends but all she felt was happiness and relief coursing through her veins. The lonely hospital room gave Sara a lot of time to think about what had happened and analyze the little evidence she had come in contact with. Or that's what she occupied her mind with so she didn't have to think about the past. Unfortunately, at this point, she had over-analyzed her evidence and her mind continuously strayed to Emily's dead face or her 'last hundred days' as she had called her last weeks before her break up. What she really needed was to see one of her best friends alive again. She drifted into her nightmares, against her will.

Amanda woke Sara up from her latest nightmare with a rough shake and Sara bolted upright. Once she realized who was in the room with her, Sara threw herself into Amanda's arms. Her friend hugged her tightly as she cried.

"Shh, honey, you're going to be okay. Everything is fine…" Sara shook her head in Amanda's shoulder.

"He killed them, Manda. Em and Ellen…"

"Shh, Sar. Breathe." They stayed like that, Amanda comforting Sara, until Sara's sporadic sobs calmed.'

"Its really great to see you here," Sara said tearily, pulling back to look her friend in the eye. Amanda smiled, sadly at Sara, her eyes reflecting the pain Sara was feeling.

"You will be fine, Sara. Its all in the past."

"Catherine told me Jack was involved," Sara said, dissolving into tears again. Amanda pulled Sara tighter to her.

"Listen, Sara. We're going to stay away from that topic and focus on your better, happier memories…" and she launched into her latest story of her old friends. That was how Catherine found them when she entered.

"Catherine this is Amanda. Amanda, this is the woman you talked to on the phone, Catherine Willows." Catherine and Amanda shook hands with a smile.

"I'm guessing you feel much better?" Sara smiled at Catherine's concern, hiding her pain again.

"I'll take that as a yes." Sara's grin faded when Catherine sobered quickly.

"Amanda, part of the reason I called for us to meet here is because I wanted to talk with Sara present. Did you know Jack Banning?" Amanda jumped and turned to face Sara. Sara's eyes had turned cold but she nodded slightly...

"I've been best friends with Sara for years. I knew Jack through work, both chemists. I thought they'd be perfect together. Judging by your question, Sara already told you what he did to her. I told him off the day after she left and moved here. He came by my house and asked about Sara…" Sara was outraged, to say the least. She had a huge argument the day she left.

"He asked about me? What is his problem?" Catherine laid a hand on Sara's shoulder, silently telling the younger woman to keep quiet. She couldn't, however, keep Sara from fuming on the inside. She knew she should have taken out the restraining order against him but believed that moving to Vegas would be enough.

"I, of course, didn't tell him anything. He got mad at me, went to hit me. I closed the door. He's been harassing me for a whole now, about Sara, about my other friends."

"Those other friends wouldn't by chance be Emily Turner or Ellen Bizet?" Sara's body was plunged into ice cold water, or so she felt. She had completely forgotten her two friends had been killed.

"What?"

"Em and Ellen are dead. Died of a morphine overdose," Sara said.

"We've got Jack Banning in custody for the murders," Catherine added.

"On what?" Amanda inquired.

"Many containers of painkillers and a pile of darts in the basement. We're hoping he can tell us something of his accomplice," Catherine provided. Amanda began pacing.

"They were… really good friends through Sara's ordeal and through school. We lost touch for a while when Sara and I moved here. I met up with them a couple of weeks ago, right when Jack started harassing me about Sara again." Sara hated hearing the effect her brutal break up had on her friends and how much danger she had inadvertently put them in.

"When do you get out?" Catherine asked. Sara thought for a moment.

"Tonight, I hear. Why?"

"You owe the others and explanation."

Amanda had carefully talked to Sara after Catherine had left the hospital about the news she had to present to the graveyard shift.

"Sara! Thank goodness you're okay!" Nick exclaimed grabbing her in a big bear hug.

"You saw me in the hospital, Nick," Sara said carefully, inwardly relishing the contact and didn't want to pull away. When they finally did, and every one got seated, Catherine opened the case file.

"Sara, I know Grissom pulled you off the case," Catherine began with a healthy dose of spite in Grissom's direction, "but I want… you should…" 

Sara nodded, smiling slightly at the unlikely connection between them. Catherine was Sara's support at the moment because she had been through the same past, shared the same core feelings of fear and insecurity. With both her and Amanda there, to Sara, this was a walk in the park.

"I… asked Cath not to tell you guys what I was forced to tell her. Trust me, Cath, I thank you a thousand times for that one, but… you guys need to know. Catherine and Amanda convinced me of that."

"Sara stop and just tell us," Warrick finally interrupted. Sara took her deep breath and prepared herself for the emotional havoc the story would wreak. 

"Your main suspect, Jack Banning, and I were involved for almost a year. As in all domestic violence cases, everything was fine at first and then it all started slowly. A hit here and there then an immediate apology and promise never to do it again. 

"It got worse and worse. Then Grissom offered me a job here. It was my answer from heaven. I'd been trying to get away from him. Then again, he kept holding me back with sweet words and little things. I… believed him, he was my everything but when Grissom offered me this job, I knew I had to go. I packed up my stuff one night and Amanda came to pick me up. That was the worst night and I just ran out. 

"Emily took the full blow of the anger that night before coming over to Amanda's with Ellen. We promised that we'd keep in touch and they helped me move in here. I didn't know Jack was here until now, until his role in all of this." Her voice trailed off as she got lost in the pain of the bruises and cuts she had sustained. 

"No wonder you and Catherine forged a strong bond," Nick almost whispered, his mouth slightly agape in awe. Grissom's face was impassive and Sara found herself not caring what Grissom thought. Her reaction she needed to see, needed to know she was cared about, was Nick's. It surprised her, really, that she seemed dependant on what he thought, especially since she had spent the last who knew how long thinking about Grissom. She now saw him as a mentor and nothing more. Catherine caught her eye and shot an apologetic look towards Sara in terms of Grissom. She understood and shrugged lightly.

"Great. Now we need to go further into the case. Sara, I'm sorry to have to tell you that you need…"

"To testify, Grissom, I know. Thanks for the news," she finished sarcastically. She couldn't believe him, and from the look on both Catherine and Amanda's faces, neither could they. 

"There is no way we can get her out of this, is there?" Sara heard Catherine asked. She owed Catherine so much now, from keeping her secret, to promising to help her through the reliving of the past. Grissom shook his head in reply to Catherine's inquiry.

"I'll be there with her," she heard Amanda say. Catherine nodded her agreement.

"Thanks guys," Sara said quietly.

"From what we've heard, he's still completely enamored with you. We need to be extra careful in the courtroom. "We, you, can't let him psyche you out." The room nodded solemnly at Grissom's phrase and the supervisor left. All eyes turned to Sara.

"I'm so sorry about him, Sara…" Sara held up a hand to stop Catherine's excuses. 

"It's okay, Cath. I didn't… wasn't expecting a welcome back or anything."

"You still deserved it. It's not fair…"

"Really, Cath. It's okay. I'm going to go and show Amanda around a little bit. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, save breakfast or something."

"Or something," Sara said with a grin and left, Amanda not far behind. Catherine turned the opposite way from where Amanda and Sara were going and Sara held in a grin. Grissom was in for it. Catherine was not happy.

"You're really lucky to have these guys, Sara," Amanda said wistfully.

"Sara!" Nick called, catching up to her in the hall.

"Yes, Nick?" Sara said in all innocence. Nick smiled, charmingly.

"Your friend Amanda?" Sara nodded.

"I'm Sara's soon to be boyfriend, Nick Stokes." Sara rolled her eyes and turned to mock whisper in Amanda's year.

"He's always dreaming."

Amanda and Sara had been all through the lab and Sara had left Amanda in the break room while she went wandering through the halls. Then she had noticed Jack Banning in an interrogation room. She pulled open the door. His back was facing her as she stood in the doorway.

"Well, are you going to come in?"

"I honestly don't want to stand within one hundred feet of you, but I'm going to have to face you in court won't I?" He spun in his chair and settled his eyes on her.

"Ah, Sara. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I'm not on this case, if that's what you're getting at."

"Why? Scared?" Sara closed her eyes, and the door carefully, making sure to keep her hand on the handle. She didn't close it all the way, just until it looked fully closed. 

"Why them? Why Emily, or Ellen? What the hell have they ever done to you?" Sara asked carefully. Jack grinned.

"Come on, Sar. You left me. You were stronger than me. I had to make you pay."

"So what, you were going after Amanda next? Why not just kill her? Why harass her first?"

"I had to find out where you were."

"You would have been the first suspect had you actually killed her. Neighbours saw you and her at her front door." Sara tried to keep her voice completely neutral but was starting to fail. It was shaking now, she was scared and angry, both mixing to create a lethal combination to either him or her. Then he swung at her. She felt his fist connect with her jaw and knew, if the bone wasn't broken, that there would be one heck of a bruise there. Her mind swam as her hip and shoulder connected with the floor. He pushed down on her shoulder and she felt it dislocate. Sara wouldn't scream, wouldn't give him that pleasure. He grabbed her arm and twisted it painfully behind her. The next thing to go was her arm as it broke. Then she heard screaming and blacked out.

When she slowly came to, she was back in a hospital room. She moved to sit up but her abdomen protested painfully. She groaned and tried to move. Her one arm was virtually immobile and some one grabbed her shoulders to hold her down. She struggled, hard, to get out of the grasp.

"Sara, honey, calm down. Calm down, Sara, it's me, Nick. You need to stay in the hospital bed." Her struggling lessened, but tears continued to flow down her cheeks. Nick carefully laid her down on the pillows and grasped her hand, lightly but firmly, letting her know that he was there for her. Sara closed her eyes then immediately opened them again when the pictures of her latest attack bombarded her brain. 

"Who screamed?" she carefully got out.

"Catherine. She was in some state. You were much worse."

"She remembered." If Nick was confused by Sara's statement, he didn't let it show. He kept her hand in his.

"Sara, what happened?" Sara shook her head.

"Not now, Nick, please?" Nick nodded.

"Go back to sleep, Sara. Amanda and I are going to stay here with you. You're safe, sweetheart, just go back to sleep." Sara felt herself drifting off again and fought it. She would rather stay awake in a hospital than relive her life in her dreams. She felt new hands on her other hand and whipped her hand away causing her to scream in pain as her shoulder and arm protested the movement. Amanda jumped back away from Sara as a nurse came rushing in. Nick quickly calmed Sara down before apologizing to the nurse and settling the brunette back in her pillows.

"It was just Amanda, honey and she won't hurt you," Nick whispered dropping a kiss to her forehead. 

"I'm going to touch your hand, Sar. Its Amanda, hon, I won't hurt you. Promise." Sara breathed a sigh of a whole lot of unidentifiable emotions as Amanda picked up her hand.

"Thanks guys," she whispered as sleep began to claim her once again.

"Don't mention it, sweetheart. We love you, both of us," she heard Nick say before she dropped off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There. This one didn't take half as long as other ones had. Once again, hopefully this is the last chapter that I have to catch it up to _Subtle Clues_. Now it should be more towards the separate relationships, more specifically, Nick and Sara in this case. Amanda still has a part to play in all of this and Catherine will still make periodic appearances because she and Sara now have a huge connection between their pasts. __

_Coming up:****_

Jack's prelim hearing comes closer and Sara is still hospitalized Amanda attends the trial 

I know that's not a lot to go by but unfortunately that's all that's going to happen at the moment.

~Kavi Leighanna


	4. The Weakest Link

Chapter 3 

**The Weakest Link**

Sara next awoke a couple of hours later with Nick still by her side. Her fidgeting – her bruises were getting itchy – woke Nick up too.

"Sara, don't itch," he said swiping her hands away from the black and blue spots. Sara swatted back at him.

"They itch," she responded childishly. Nick scowled at her, capturing her hand in his own once again.

"Stop itching. It won't help them heal."

"Then what am I supposed to do? I can't ignore them, sitting here like this all day," she pouted, crossing her arms to the bests of her ability with her one arm in a cast and sling. Nick watched, wincing slightly as she moved her recently relocated shoulder.

"How's your shoulder?"

"In the right place," she retorted, her tone slightly sarcastic. Nick took it in stride, chalking it up to the mountains of painkillers she was on for the bruising.

"That's a start," he pointed out with a slight smile, "now, how are you feeling?" Sara shot him an incredulous look.

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?" She could feel her frustration rising in her veins.

"Being in here, your bones, your body… your mind." Sara ran her sling-less hand through her already mussed hair with a sigh.

"I hate being cooped up, and I mean _hate_. As to my bones and body? They've seen better days and have been through better times, but, we take it all in stride." She purposely avoided the mind question. She wasn't sure if it was something she wanted to discuss with Nick. Catherine would understand and possibly give her advice on what she could do to get over the haunting memories. Nick, on the other hand, she wasn't so sure. Was he going to pity her, or sympathize with her?

"And your mind?" Damn, he just wouldn't give up.

"Seen happier memories," she answered carefully.

"You can tell me if you don't want to talk about it, Sara. I just hope you_ will_ discuss it with some one." Sara smiled at him, appreciating his understanding.

"I was hoping to talk to Catherine later. Maybe…" she swallowed hard. Nick nodded.

"Because she's done this before?"

"It might be easier talking to some one who understands the emotional pain. Not saying you don't but Catherine's been through it all and I just think that she'll be able to give me a better perspective without all of the…" she trailed off realizing that she was babbling. It was something very un-Sara-like. Nick's smile was amused.

"That was cute," he said quickly before sobering. "Without the pity?" Sara couldn't believe his ability to virtually read her mind. He just knew, knew she needed support and not pity. He himself was afraid of pitying her. He didn't want to. She was strong and she would get through this. She didn't need his pity on top.

"So you want to talk to Cath, who will empathize instead of sympathize?" Sara nodded her head sheepishly.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's completely logical." A knock sounded on the door.

"Come on in," Nick called, eyes focused on Sara. Catherine, Grissom and Lindsey entered.

"Hey," Sara said.

"Sara, I'm so sorry…"

"Don't apologize, Cath. With my past, I would have done the same thing you did, had I been in your situation." Catherine still looked caught. Lindsey approached her bed. She reluctantly withdrew her hand from Nick's to accept the stuffed dog and card the little blond was holding out to her.

"We brought these for you," she said.

"Thanks Lindsey."

"That's one of the fire dogs. Those dogs are brave so I thought it suited you well." Sara's eyes teared up. It was sweet, especially since Sara and Lindsey didn't know each other very well.__

_You have a big heart, Lindsey,_ Sara thought. _You're mom should be proud of you._

"Cath?" Catherine jumped at Sara's voice. The elder woman had been lost in her own thoughts, and Sara knew – from experience – that wasn't always a good thing.

"Are you alright?" Catherine's eyes darted around the room.

"Can you give us a couple of minutes?" she asked. Nick gripped Sara's hand again. Sara smiled at him, telling him wordlessly that this was something that needed to be done. Besides, she couldn't remember the last time he had eaten.

"Why don't we go find you a cookie, Lindsey," Grissom finally spoke up.

"I could use one myself," Nick agreed, dropping a light kiss to Sara's forehead. Her eyes closed involuntarily in reaction. They left. Catherine turned pain filled eyes to Sara and Sara couldn't help thinking that she was taking this a lot better than Catherine was. Then again, Catherine had been through much more. She did, after all, have a daughter.

"Before you apologize," Sara began as sson as Catherine opened her mouth to speak, "for the record, I don't blame you one little bit for what happened. It was completely my decision to go in there in the first place." Catherine looked like she wanted to delve deeper into things but then pulled out.

"Was there an officer on duty?" Sara thought back hard. Had there been some one there to watch over the room? She shrugged.

"One, but I wasn't going to give Banning the satisfaction of hearing me scream. His voice was quiet anyway so the guard wouldn't have through anything of what was going on inside. No one walked by until you." Sara could tell by Catherine's face that she knew Sara was lying. There hadn't been an officer there, but that wasn't her fault. There should have been, they both knew it. 

"And I didn't do anything."

"You screamed which was more than enough to get people to notice that something wasn't right. Cath, if you hadn't come when you did, I would have been dead." 

"And you wouldn't have been as badly beaten if I had the presence of mind to get you of there." Sara sighed heavily, sensing that this was not an argument she was going to win. Catherine was stubborn, and so, Sara had to be a little bit more creative I finding a way to lift the blame off of Catherine's shoulders.

"I see this ordeal did something to put you and Griss where you belong." Sara noticed the statement had taken Catherine by surprise. She grinned, the smiled fading when Catherine's next words registered in her mind.

"And I'm guessing Nick won't be at work until you get out." Sara blushed. Her relationship with Nick had, in a way, changed. He didn't leave her bedside, ever. Not for food, rarely even to go to the washroom.

"He's been fantastic, Cath. I can't… he's been so supportive. My second support column, along with you. I swear he hasn't left my bedside since I got here." Catherine was the therapist in her life almost, Nick was the corner stone that kept her away from the dark side of memory lane.

"And Amanda?"

"She's been here too. I just sent her home to get some sleep." Catherine shot Sara a confused look. Sara realized the unasked question. 

"I tried, really I did, but he just _will not _leave. Do you think Grissom would leave if it were you in this bed and not me?" Catherine nodded her agreement. Sara asmiled. It was going well for Catherine and Grissom, at her expense and she couldn't even be there to see them interact from day to day. She, on the other hand, had Nick. __

_And I wouldn't change a single thing,_ she thought to herself. Okay, maybe the abuse and maybe the pain of her bruises, but for her – right at this moment anyway – things were working out. Catherine's sigh brought Sara out of her thoughts.

"You don't have to apologize, Catherine," she said again, forcefully.

"It feels like it's my fault. It feels like you wouldn't be here if…"

"Damnit, Catherine, stop! You've been through this, I've been through this and we're both stronger for it. There are not the worst of the bruises I have and sustained and they will heal. My emotional ones are healing too, with help from you and from nick and Amanda. The only major physical injuries I have are my dislocated shoulder – which by the way, the doctors popped back into place – and my broken arm. They _will_ heal. I'll be back to the lab as good as new in no time." Before Catherine could argue further, Grissom, Nick and Lindsey returned. Amanda followed close behind.

"Hey, Sara. How are you feeling?" Amanda asked. Sara painstakingly pushed herself into a semi-sitting position, wincing only slightly as she strained her shoulder. Nick was at her side in an instant, helping her resettle her arm.

"Freight train, enough said." Every one in the room chuckled slightly.

"I thought I told you to go home and _sleep,_" Sara said, directing the statement at Amanda who had come to stand just slightly behind Nick. 

"You did, I didn't. My best friend is in the hospital and I'm worried. So sleep wouldn't come," Amanda replied with a shrug. Sara rolled her eyes.

"You know it's more comfortable sleeping in a bed than on a chair. Even Nick will tell you that," Sara shot back, squeezing Nick's hand lightly. Amanda scrunched up her nose in mock disgust.

"I can deal, but only because you're my friend." Sara, in her peripheral vision, noticed Catherine's far away look.

It was weird for Sara to think so much of Catherine, but the bond they had seemed to form was one over the painful memories and withdrawal that Catherine seemed to be going through.

"So when I get out of here we're going for a night on the town, right Cath?" It was the only way Sara could think of getting Catherine to come back to earth. It worked. Catherine jolted and caught Sara's eye. Sara began to worry at the disoriented look in the mother's eyes.

"Cath?" Sara said carefully, pushing herself up further.

"I'm… sorry. Didn't hear the point," Catherine replied on a sigh. Sara's smile contradicted the look in her eyes. She was worried about Catherine. Sara had always believed Catherine to be the strong one, the mother even, of their CSI family. True, she had never been close to Catherine, but that didn't mean there wasn't the respect that Catherine deserved in Sara's veins. Then Brass entered.

"Sorry to break up the party, but Sara, I'd like to ask a couple of questions."

"Brass…" Catherine began, but Sara held up a hand.__

_If it will put Banning away, I'll deal,_ she thought.

"What do you want to know?" Sara noticed Catherine slowly leaving the room, Grissom and Lindsey not far behind. She needed to be home with her family and people who loved her dearly. Not in a hospital where Sara was sure Catherine had spent more than enough time.

"Want to tell me exactly what happened?" Brass asked, breaking Sara out of her thoughts.

"Pretty simple. I went in. I thought that if I could face him in an interrogation room, the court would be simple. I stood in the doorway for a moment and I guess he sensed me there. Any way, he told me to come in. I told him that I really didn't want to get within 100 feet of him but I would have to face him in court. He recognized my voice and we exchanged a few more words. He seemed calm, until he hit me. I don't even know what was going on in his head. I couldn't see it. First hit was my jaw, then the dislocated shoulder then the broken arm. I must have blacked out after that because the next thing I knew, I was here."

"Did you hear Catherine scream?" Sara nodded with a shiver.

"Then I knew that I didn't have to struggle any more. Some one would come." Brass nodded with a light smile.

"Okay, thanks. Get better soon." He left. Nick stroked Sara's hair back from her cheeks as Sara once again repositioned herself in the bed.

"Get some sleep, Sara. It'll help you heal," he soothed. Amanda took a seat in one of the corners, content to just watch the exchange. Oh the irony. She was sure Nick wouldn't remember telling her – and Sara wouldn't remember hearing him say – that he was her soon-to-be boyfriend. Then she noticed Sara's even breathing.

"She was so calm," Nick whispered to Amanda.

"She's too strong for her own good. I can guarantee when she gets out of here, she won't be worried about herself. Catherine will be her first priority because of the bond they now share, You will be her second priority, then the rest of the team, then herself. It's just the way that Sara works." Nick knew where Amanda was going with this and stopped her.

"I'll take care of her, you don't have to worry about that." Amanda smiled.

"Thanks. I don't need her in more trouble than she's already in."

Sara woke again to the door opening and closing. It was Catherine, looking all business. Sara mentally groaned, she didn't want to deal with this now.

"Sorry, Sara. We got another DB call. Did you know a Lauren Bray?"

"Does she have a brother? I recognize that name."

"I don't know. What I do know, is she's dead, but she was tortured first. Slashes all on her thighs and arms, extensive bruising… We don't even know if it was the pain or if the morphine killed her." Sara nodded thoughtfully. So what did that mean?

"Are Banning's murder charges being dropped?" she asked suddenly.

"We're not sure yet. The darts weren't a match but that doesn't mean he didn't have anything to do with the deaths."

"And because I didn't know Lauren Bray, she's different." Catherine nodded.

"Damn."

"Look, I've got to go. Evidence to process and all of that. I'll be back later."

Nick, meanwhile, was eating. Once that was completed, he made his way back to Sara's room. En route, he ran into Sara's doctor.

"Hi, Sir. Do you know when Miss Sidle will be getting out? She's getting antsy."

"We're hoping to have Miss Sidle out by tomorrow but she won't be able to do any heavy lifting or reaching with her shoulder for about 2 weeks. We took her sling off." Nick filed that away. Knowing Sara, it was going to be tougher than expected.

"And when will her cast come off?"

"6 weeks. That means to field work until then." Nick nodded and thanked the doctor, turning again to make a call to Warrick.

"Brown."

"Hey man. I just talked to Sara's doctor. He hope to have her out by tomorrow."

"That's great!"

"Still, the doc says she can't do any extensive arm work for a while."

"Of course."

"Sara's going to flip. He said 2 weeks."

"2 weeks? For a shoulder? That's fast."

"She's been in here how long? Any way, knowing Sara, it won't be two weeks. At most she'll be back to her work in… 2 days."

"But with you there she'll be taking her rest for those 2 weeks like the doctor ordered." Nick laughed.

"I'm going to head back in. I don't want her alone too long."

"Okay, See ya, man."

"Right. Bye." Nick clicked off his cell phone and made his way back into Sara's room. Sara looked a million miles away.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Nick asked, taking her hand again.

"They found another DB." Nick swore under his breath.

"How do you know?"

"Catherine was in a little while ago. She asked if I knew this girl."

"Did you?"

"No." 

"You are the weakest link."

"I know."

"Now what?"

"We wait for Amanda to come back."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Finally got a new chapter done. I hope you enjoyed it all. I have chapter 4 written I just have to type it and post it. Should be up any moment.__

Coming soon…****

**Amanda's connection**

~Kavi Leighanna


	5. Chain of Events

Chapter 4 

**Chain of Events**

Amanda came by later in the day. Sara hated what she was about to ask but if Amanda knew something, it could help them with their case.

"Feeling better?" Amanda asked, taking a seat across from Nick.

"Worse. Another girl was killed. Brutally." Amanda gasped

"Who?"

"Lauren Bray." Amanda reeled back.

"Are you sure? It wasn't her younger sister, Diana? It was Lauren?" Sara sighed heavily. This was where things got difficult.

"You knew her."

"Yes, I knew Lauren. You didn't?"

"We were… acquainted. We didn't talk at all."

"She was my roommate. One of my greatest friends."

"So were Ellen and Emily. So am I." There was the link they had been looking for. It wasn't Sara after all.

"What are you getting at?"

"Do you know any one who would want them dead? Because Sara didn't know Lauren, Sara's eliminated as the link to the murders. You just took her place," Nick explained.

"Is there anything you want to tell me? Sara asked disgusted at how clichéd it sounded.

"Who would want to kill my friends?" Amanda asked softly. Sara sighed.

"You can't think of any one who would want you to suffer? If this escalates…?"

"I don't have a family, Sara. My parents died years ago. My friends are my family," Amanda spat out, tears in her eyes. Sara looked helplessly to Nick. Nick shook his head, indicating that this was between her and Amanda. He couldn't get in the middle of it. Squeezing her hand and lightly brushing his lips over her cheek and forehead, he left, standing just outside the door. Sara took a deep breath.

"He's killing your family," she said softly.

"He killed me." This was a statement Sara was not ready for. Who? What? When? Sara was confused.

"Start from the beginning, Amanda, I'm confused."

"You remember Anthony, right?" Sara nodded, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips. Amanda and Anthony had been very much in love in college.

"It wasn't as perfect as it seemed. I told no one about the things that went on during the weekends we'd go to his parents or the weekends we'd go to the little cabin on the lake." Amanda laughed bitterly at the words coming out of her mouth.

"I was stupid. I knew what you were going through but couldn't bring myself to put my relationship with Anthony in the same category as yours with Jack. It was so much worse. Verbal, emotional, physical abuse but I always put on a happy face. I went to a therapist, got help for the mental and emotional pain that was running through my mind. Anthony didn't know. I always told him that I was going out with you or Ellen or Emily or Lauren or one of my other friends. I never told him I was going through therapy because our relationship had permanently damaged me.

"I promised you, the day we moved you into your new apartment, that I was going to move here with you. My therapist had, for a while, been advising me to leave. To get out of town and away from the man that was hurting me. I was never as stong as you, so I didn't think about it."

Sara, in the back of her mind, realized she had just contradicted the story Amanda had told Catherine. She had been quiet thus far, knowing it helped to not be interrupted. Her friend's normal blue-grey eyes were void. The only emotion in them was pain. There was no fear, no anger, no sorrow, just pain. A pain Sara felt in the pit of her stomach and in the marrow of her bones.

"Then I remembered my promise to you. I would move to Vegas. You know I would never go back on a promise and I had never once made one to stay with Anthony forever. He was out late one night. I knew he would be, I knew exactly how long I had to get out of there. Did you know what I changed my name? Not legally, legally I was still Amanda Bell, but to my colleagues at work and my new friends I'm not Amanda Bell. I'm Victoria Jones. It kept Anthony at bay while I rebuilt my life. Emily took my mail and forwarded it to me and I got away from Anthony. Everything was working perfectly.

"Every year we have a chemists conference and I had never missed it. I wasn't going to just because I was scared some one would recognize me, but I never expected Jack Banning to be there. He'd never once attended one, and I didn't believe he was up to it because it just wasn't his thing. He was there. I guess… Anthony knew I wouldn't miss it. Jack was the closest thing to him being there. I didn't tell him that I was living in my own place. I didn't tell him that I had changed my name. I went to that conference as Amanda Bell."

"How did you keep you identity a secret?" Sara asked slightly in awe.

"Wigs and contacts. To my colleagues, my hair is blond and my eyes are brown. My clothing is retro, not the normal Amanda style. Jack could have been standing right in front of me and he would never recognize me, nor would Anthony. I kept away from men, only letting them be friends. Some how I guess Jack figured things out. Jones was a pretty standard last name but Victoria Jones was an odd one."

"Your mother was Victoria Jones before she married," Sara said, eyes narrowed in confusion.

"2 and 2 makes 4," Amanda quipped in response.

"Then he started harassing you, blackmailing you into…"

"He tried to blackmail me into telling him where you were. I didn't think Anthony knew where all my friends lived or where they worked…"

"You think he's responsible for all of this?"

"Can you think on any one else who'd want to hurt me like this? If you would have died, I would have been ready to commit suicide. If I had lost all of my best friends, I wouldn't be able to live knowing that there was a good chance I was the cause."

"Slow down. So, if he couldn't have you, no one could… but you just found out Lauren was dead."

"Sara, you've been on painkillers too long. Why would some one attack you if they wanted you to suffer? Why would some one try to put a lethal dose of drugs in your system? Revenge is about torture in their case, not about death. They want us to run back to them, beg them to stop. Then they'll say 'on one condition, you come back to me'. You can't do that, I can't do that."__

_Talk about a curve ball,_ Sara thought shaking her head.

"Listen to me, Amanda. I want you to go and explain things to Catherine. She'll help you through this and maybe we can predict this guy's next move. Anthony could never do things on his own. He's got an accomplice or two."

"And you?"

"I'm not going anywhere, am I? I'm stuck in this bed until the doctor says I can go home."

"An you're not going home," Amanda jumped in suddenly.

"Um…"

"I can't take that chance. You can't be alone." Tears were forming in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. 

"I can't lose another friend."

Sara looked at the door, willing Nick to come back into the room. Amanda needed Sara's comfort; Sara needed Nick's comfort. He did re-enter the room, watching in awe as Amanda cried on Sara's blanket. Sara's hand was in her friend's hair, shushing her as best she could. Nick stood beside Sara, across from Amanda and threaded his own hand through Sara's hair. Amanda's sobs tuned dry, she had no tears left in her. Then she coughed, and coughed. She wouldn't stop. 

"Breath, Amanda, come on, breath." Amanda lifted her head. Spots of blood were on the sheets and where the tears had washed off her make up, Amanda's face was white and pasty. 

"Have you been eating? Sleeping? Doing anything other than worrying?" Sara asked frantically. Amanda shook her head, another round of coughs shaking her thin frame. Sara looked up at Nick, asking him softly to go and get her nurse. He did as was asked. Amanda was carefully put on another bed on her side, where nothing could choke her. Nick held Sara's now unoccupied hand as they watched.

"What happened?" the nurse asked them.

"We were talking. I don't think she's eaten or slept in days," Sara supplied, worry creasing her bruised features. 

"We'll try to settle her down," the nurse soothed. "It won't do you any good to worry too much. She's in good hands. We're going to take x-rays and stuff to makes sure nothing's broken. Has she fallen, been hurt in any way lately?" Sara shook her head. 

"We'll tell you when we've got something."

"Thank you," Nick responded for Sara. Part of Sara knew it was for Amanda's sake they were taking her out of the room but another part wanted her friend close by. 

"She's been through a lot. She might be scared; might lash out," were the words that came out of her mouth.

"Thanks. We'll bring her back in when she's better." Sara nodded watching as they wheeled Amanda out of the room.

"What was she talking about?" Nick asked finally.

"A lot," Sara answered launching into an abridged version of what Amanda had finally confided. It was something Nick needed to understand, especially for the case.

"Can I use your phone?" she asked when she was done. Nick wordlessly handed her the small device and sunk into the chair next to her. Sara dialed Catherine's number.

"Catherine." Sara heard the background noises of a diner and berated herself for interrupting Catherine's meal.

"Hello?" Sara sighed heavily before beginning.

"Cath, I need your help." Sara knew it probably wasn't the best thing to start with but she couldn't think of anything else. Her brain was on over-load.

"What's wrong?" Catherine's voice sounded slightly panicked.

"Amanda's got something to do with these deaths. I asked her about the new DB…" Sara stopped to catch herself and keep her voice at least slightly normal. She would cry after she got off the phone not while she was on it.

"Lauren Bray. I didn't know her. Amanda did."

"And Amanda knew Emily and Ellen," Catherine affirmed. Sara could almost see the wheels turning in Catherine's head. She'd come to the same conclusion Sara had.

"Alright. I need to go and make another call. Sorry. I'll stop by later." Sara agreed and they both hung up. Then the tears fell in rivers down her cheeks. Nick was there, pulling her as close as the cast and hospital bed would allow.

"It's okay, honey. Everything will work out," Nick whispered. Sara's sobs continued. When she calmed down again, she picked up the phone that had fallen limply to the bed.

"Brown."

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say Catherine gave you a call."

"Hello to you to, Sara. Doesn't any one say hello anymore?"

"Amanda's in the hospital," Sara said with a roll of her eyes at Warrick's need for a greeting.

"Alright, I'll be there."

"Be gentle with her."

"What?"

"Please?"

"Okay…" Warrick said, confusion evident in his voice.

"Just… trust me," Sara said, her voice choking up again. Warrick promised her he would be careful and they hung up. Sara fell back into her pillows, wanted to cry, scream, anything to get her friend's face and emotions out of her system but tears wouldn't come and she was positive screaming in a hospital wouldn't go over very well.

"What am I going to do?" she asked Nick. "My best friend is down the hall, probably on IV and who knows what else, not to mention she's completely terrified of what could happen to her friends…" Nick scooted her over carefully and climbed on the bed beside her to wrap his arms around her. She rested her head on his should and her arm across his stomach, turned on her side. Her shoulder was feeling much better since the doctor had removed the sling and Sara had freer movement of her arm.

"Everything will work out Sara, I promise," he responded, smoothing her hair. Her mind drifted to the last few days. Her memory was on overload, slowly remembering almost every word exchanged, yet not the ones she had said. Then her head hit a roadblock.__

_We love you, both of us._

Her body tensed.

"Sara?"

"You… said something. Some time ago…" Sara began carefully. Nick tried to think of what it was that could have set her off.

"And…"

"Did you mean it?" Nick was silent for a moment thinking about what it was he could have said.

"Do you really love me?" His mind was so preoccupied, he almost didn't hear the question. He couldn't remember saying the words out-loud.__

_But,_ he reasoned with his head, _now's as good a time as any._

"Do you doubt it?" Sara's hand absently began drawing circles on his stomach. The sensation flew through his entire body, making it hard to concentrate on anything else.

"As a sister and a friend, never."

"As more?"

"I always have." Nick knew her reference to her past.

"I won't hurt you."

"I know."

"Ever."

"I know."

"I do love you." Sara didn't respond immediately.

"I know," she said finally, looking up into his face. He smiled and brought his lips gently down onto hers. Sara kissed him back lightly, her hand on his stomach fisting into his shirt. He pulled away gently, watching her face as her eyes fluttered open.

"I love you, too."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Here's another one done! Hope this one was good. It goes a lot deeper into Amanda's past and how she's involved in the case. Hope you enjoyed!__

Coming soon…**** Sara gets out of the hospital and settles in with Nick while the case is still open 

**Amanda feels helpless in the hospital**

~Kavi Leighanna


	6. Surprise, Surprise

**Chapter 5 **

**Surprise, Surprise**

The next morning dawned too bright for Sara's taste as she opened her eyes to the sunlight streaming in. Her day brightened considerably, however, when she realized there was a head resting comfortably on her stomach. She fidgeted, waking Nick up. He groaned.

"Morning sunshine," Sara said, lifting her hand to his cheek and feeling his stubble. He leaned into her touch.

"I want you to go home today," she said, placing a finger on his lips as he opened his mouth to protest. "I know you don't want to but it'll do you some good to take a break from all this white."

"How useless is it for me to protest?" he asked. That in itself spoke volumes of how exhausted he was. He wasn't arguing with her.

"Totally. We both know you'll feel better after sleeping in your own bed," she replied, resting her palm on his cheek again. His gaze met hers.

"You'll be okay?" he asked. Sara rolled her eyes.

"I'm in a hospital for goodness sakes!" she exclaimed. He nodded, looking absently around the room. It was painfully obvious that she'd gotten a lot more sleep than he had.

"Go," she said with a smile to soften the sting those words could have brought. He nodded, walking backwards out of the room.

-

Not even an hour had passed before Sara's door opened again. She smiled slightly as Catherine walked in.

"I hear you get out tomorrow." Sara nodded, wrinkling her nose in displeasure.

"Yeah, but it doesn't have the same anticipation. I was hoping to get out of here and not have to return for a long while. With Amanda here now, the chances seem to be slimming." Catherine gave her an empathetic look, taking a seat in one of the plastic chairs.

"I'm sorry to hear about her. Where's Nick?" Just the thought of the broad-shouldered Texan brought a smile to her face. Sara rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"I finally got him to go home and sleep in his own bed," she said. Both allowed the following silence blanket them. Then it dawned on Sara. She leaned back against the pillows, closing her eyes.

"Catherine, am I going to have to testify for assault?" In actuality, Sara knew the answer, like she knew her own name. The fear and weariness were tangible, even to her. When she met Catherine's eyes, she knew Catherine had forgotten about her case. Sara found that she didn't particularly care, especially now that Amanda was only a couple of rooms down the hall.

"…totally forgot about the charges against Banning!" the older woman groaned. Sara only smiled, telling Catherine that she didn't mind, really. Her smile fell, however, when the implications of what Catherine had said hit her.

"There was another one?"

"We don't know. The house was in ruins, chocolate, blood, glass, broken… everything. Sometimes I really hate this job." Sara agreed wholeheartedly.

"The nurse came in a bout a half an hour ago and said Amanda was awake. I've been down there and she won't tell me how she ended up with a broken rib and punctured lung." She silently pleaded with Catherine to help her friend. Then Catherine spoke.

"Sara…" she began her face twisting in pain.

"Yes," she answered quietly, reading Catherine's emotions easily.

"Amanda was abused."

-

Catherine had poked her head back in to Sara's room before she left and then Sara had drifted off to sleep. When she awoke, Nick was back, looking much more refreshed than he had hours before. He waved to a bag on the floor with a smile.

"I dropped by your place to pick you up some clothes," he said with a cheeky grin, dropping her keys on her lap. Sara smiled and shook her head.

"You also had a few messages. A couple from your parents, one from a little girl named Rebekkah…" Nick watched Sara's face pale in horror, concern quickly flooding his gaze.

"Sara?"

"Bekki! I didn't even think…" She dropped back against the pillows with a heavy groan. Finally, he ventured a question.

"Sara… Who's Bekki?" Sara met his gaze solemnly.

"Amanda's daughter."

* * *

But you already knew that, didn't you, because you read the real story, **Subtle Clues** (PS its more detailed too)

I'm sorry this took like a year to put up. I'd wanted to finish **Subtle Clues** and then I got caught up in that sequel… anyway, here you go and I'm working on the next one so I can get back to the **Subtle** sequel.

Kavi Leighanna


	7. Loose Ends

**Chapter 6**

**Loose Ends**

The first head that poked into Sara's room the day she was to be discharged was a dark one and Sara suddenly found herself having to remember to breathe.

"Bekki." Nick looked up from where he was putting Rescue, the dog Lindsey had gotten Sara, in the brunette's bag. Bekki was almost a carbon copy of her mother with dark hair and dark eyes.

"Hey, Aunt Sara," the little girl whispered stepping into the room, Lindsey's head poking in behind her. Sara opened her arms to the little girl and Bekki threw herself into Sara's embrace.

"You ready to go?" Nick asked, startling both girl and woman. Sara let Bekki go reluctantly.

"Just a few more things to straighten out."

"Sara, all the paper work is taken care of," he said impatiently. Sara gave him a pleading look. She knew he wanted her out of here as much as she wanted to leave but she couldn't just leave Amanda and there was no way she could just leave Bekki. She looked up at Lindsey.

"Can you go get your mom for me? I'll wait in the waiting room just outside." Lindsey nodded and scampered off to find Catherine. Bekki, Sara and Nick made their way to the chairs just outside.

"Bekki!" Lindsey called, her head popping up from around a corner. "Come on!" Bekki glanced at Sara who nodded, then followed Lindsey at a run. Sara looked up at Nick.

"Go with her, please? I don't want her running around here on her own." Nick frowned but acquiesced reluctantly. She graced him with a grateful smile. Catherine stepped around the corner only a few minutes after Nick had turned it. Sara wasted no time in interrogating the blond.

"Amanda?"

"Supposed to stay a week. Bekki?" Sara felt emotions constrict in her chest.

"Bekki?" she questioned, hoping Catherine didn't know about the little girl yet.

"Sara, don't. Amanda told me all about her." Sara sighed mentally. This was what she was afraid of. Amanda had tried ever so hard to keep Bekki's identity a secret from the world and now it was coming back to haunt her. Well, that was the way with deep dark secrets.

"She could be motive if that's what you're getting at." Even as the words flowed from her lips, Sara hoped with all her heart that it wasn't the case.

"That was my first thought but it made me wonder about Paolini," Catherine replied, breaking into Sara's thoughts.

"You're sure he's in on this?" Scott Paolini had been one of Amanda's best friends. For him to betray her like this made Sara more than angry, and much more than pissed off.

"Amanda said he had a family, including a daughter." Sara's brow crinkled as she frowned.

"You think that there might be a kidnapping? Why wouldn't he report it?" Sara watched a sad smirk cross Catherine's face.

"Maybe we should ask him?"

* * *

I know this one's short but I need to put the next bit all in the same chapter because its totally emotion filled. You guys'll enjoy it though I think.

And there was something I was going to say in the last chapter but I forget… Wait! Got it! THANK GOODNESS FOR THE FORMATTING!

Kavi Leighanna


	8. Twenty Questions

**Chapter 7**

**Twenty Questions**

It wasn't until late in the shift that Brass was able to find and pick up the elusive Scott Paolini. When he entered the interrogation room, Catherine was seated comfortably, Sara watching in the shadows. She felt safer with both Nick and Grissom hidden behind the mirror glass.

"Mr. Paolini, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," Catherine said as rehearsed, pulling Scott's attention away from his surroundings and to her. They had planned this down to the last detail. They didn't want Scott to know that Sara was there.

"Sure." He took a seat in a chair facing Catherine, his back to Sara.

"We just want to ask you a few questions." Sara watched Catherine expertly flip open the file in front of her.

"Go ahead." Sara held in a gasp. _Here we go._

"I want to get to know you a bit better first. How's your family? Your wife? Your son? Your daughter?" Sara watched him, reading his body language like a book. She shook her head mutely as he mumbled an unenthusiastic fine.

"Just fine?"

"Yeah." Sara felt herself shaking with suppressed emotion. Here came the worst parts.

"What about your best friend, Amanda Bell? Have you talked to her lately?" Sara watched Scott's posture stiffen, such that he was sitting almost ramrod straight. Then Catherine hit him with the worst.

"She's in the hospital now you know. Punctured lung."

"A…Amanda?" Sara watched Catherine shrug indifferently, knowing that the woman was anything but. Damn she was a good actor.

"She's supposed to be staying a week."

"And her daughter?"

"Is staying with a friend." Sara watched him deflate substantially, his shoulders drooping and head looking towards the floor. This was her cue as Catherine stood to leave, taking the guard with her. Sara swallowed around the lump in her throat.

"Why?" she asked, stepping from the shadows. Scott jumped and spun quickly at her voice.

"Sara?"

"Why'd you do it? You've got to know you're all but convicted of about four murders." She was surprised to see shock cross his face at the news. The kind of shock that showed was genuine and everyone in the observation room knew it.

"Murders?" he asked after a minute. Sara rolled her eyes. She didn't have the patience for this. She wanted to be with Bekki, wanted to be away from the hospital and wanted to get away from all of this drama that had ensued.

"I don't know anything about any murders." Sara wanted to hit him. He was lying and to her! She had trusted him, Amanda had trusted him and here he was sitting denying any involvement in what had happened.__

_The evidence never lies,_ she reminded herself for the thousandth time.

"Why? Did Tony take your daughter?" Sara resisted the urge to smile at the dejected look in his eyes, though he kept the rest of his face resolutely impassive.

"No." Sara just stared at him, one eyebrow raised. He knew she knew he was lying.

"He said he'd destroy my life piece by piece, starting with my little Clare if I didn't. I didn't want to, Sair, you've got to believe me." Sara knew she did, knew she'd believe him to her grave but that didn't erase what he did.

"Then why didn't you come to the authorities?"

"He said he'd kill her if I did, if I told anyone but Ali, or Ross, my wife and son." His hands that he'd placed on the table were shaking violently and his eyes were beginning to water. Sara resisted the urge to put her hands to her temples – well, hand since one was in a sling – in frustration.

"You know the deal, Scott," Sara said wearily." Give us the whole story and we'll see about a lighter sentence."

"Tony came to be about a month ago," he began. "Clare hadn't come home from school when I got home and Ali was panicking. That's when we got the call from Tony saying he had her and he had something for me to do. I asked him if she was okay and he said she was fine, happy even. I wanted to talk to her, make sure it was really Clare but he wanted to know if I was 100 with him. I told him I was going to call the police and he said he'd kill her if I tried it. So I asked him what he wanted and he went off on this elaborate scheme to destroy Mandy. I don't… I didn't get why he'd want to do that.

"Than he told me he knew about Bekki, about _his_ daughter. I froze. He continued rambling on about how Amanda was a bitch and a slut for taking his daughter away. Of course, I was there for Bekki's birth and Mandy sent me Christmas cards once a year with Bekki's yearly achievements. I knew her first word, when she took her first steps… I don't know how he found out."

"Scott, what did Tony ask you to do?" Sara interrupted, her patience wearing thin and her emotions running on little adrenaline.

"To kill them all. I was friends with them all too," he said, pain shining in his eyes. "You don't understand how painful it was to… to…" Sara's emotions were hanging by a thread as she fought to keep herself under control. It wouldn't do to breakdown in the middle of an interrogation and she wasn't going to start now. She could picture Scott assaulting her friends. Part of her wanted to hit him and another part wanted to tell him that it would be okay, that he would be home to his family before he knew it.

"Why did you keep going?" She berated herself for the shakiness she just couldn't keep from her voice.

"He still had Clare and he told me he'd take Ali and Ross next."

"Why Lauren?"

"What about Lauren? I swear he only told me to get Emily and Ellen. And he was there the whole time. I couldn't get out of it. I haven't seen or talked to Lauren in… years."

"Anna?"

"Talked on the phone with her last week." His voice turned pleading. "I didn't do anything to Lauren or Anna and nothing to do with Mandy. Sara, you've got to believe me!" Sara struggled to keep herself withdrawn when she was being pulled into the emotional abyss that had been created.

"How was everything supposed to go down?" Sara could feel the tension from the other room and hoped every one was doing okay. This case had been especially hard on her and Catherine and she sent a mental prayer for the older woman's sanity.

"Your Banning provided the morphine in little darts."

"Like this one?" Sara threw a dart, firmly sealed in an evidence bag, on the table. She'd taken it to show him, to prove that they had him.

"Just like that. Gave me three for Ellen and four for Emily." Sara puffed out a breath.

"And me?" she managed to squeak out. She then mentally kicked herself for losing the tenuous control she held on her emotions.

"Sir, out of my hands… Tony did train himself to use those things made of bamboo that jungle tribes use." Sara nodded, looking away from him.

"Is that it? Can I call Ali? Tell her I won't be home?" Sara stood and moved to the door.

"In a minute," she said and left. She didn't know how she got in the observation room but when she opened the door Catherine, Nick and Grissom were standing there stunned. She watched Catherine turn and roll her eyes at the two men before approaching Sara.

The brunette collapsed into Catherine's arms and began to cry.

* * *

This one is really emotion packed… I hope you guys enjoyed it. I feel so bad writing this, same like I felt writing the two chapters originally in **Subtle**. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this at least a little more than I did writing it.

Kavi Leighanna


	9. Death and the Grave

**Chapter 8**

**Death and the Grave**

Sara couldn't breath from the tears and her body shook with the force. She felt Catherine's arms withdraw and stronger ones engulf her. She fell into Nick's embrace more than willingly, sobbing harder. She barely heard the whispered conversation between Grissom and Catherine. Nick interrupted them.

"Have we talked to Banning?" he asked, wrapping his arms tighter around Sara as her shaking intensified at the name. His hand ran comforting strokes up and down her back.

"Not that I know of." Grissom replied warily. Sara buried her head in Nick's shoulder.

"I want this to be over," she whispered, watching as an officer led Scott Paolini out of the interrogation room.

"You should take a break," Grissom said suddenly. "Go out for a bit or something."

"We've got another case," Sara protested feebly, even knowing that she was no use on the cases. Nick bent to her ear.

"Let's take a break, we'll go visit Amanda." Sara nodded.

"We're…" she started. Catherine nodded with a smile and Sara was thankful she didn't have to explain things. She left with Nick.

-

The drive to the hospital was made in silence, both lost in their own thoughts, Sara lost in her nightmares. Nick slowed a block from the hospital, jolting Sara from her mind. Lights were flashing everywhere. They exchanged a look and hopped out of the SUV. The drama had indeed occurred at the hospital and as Sara caught glimpses of the injured staff, familiar faces began to swim in her vision. She picked up the pace, flashing ID and almost running to get into the building. She found inside numerous bullet holes in the walls and a dead security guard by the door to Amanda's room. The door itself was thrown from its hinges, revealing an equally as disturbing scene.

Blood spattered the white linins where Amanda lay, her head tilted to the side, a hole in her head.

Sara collapsed to the floor of the hospital, her hand to her mouth in shock. Amanda was dead. Her best friend was dead. Then came the gut wrenching sobs. She didn't think she would be able to cry for a while after her episode at the lab but this was much, much worse. She didn't even feel Nick drop beside her until he'd pulled her securely into his arms, resting her against his chest as he withdrew his cell phone.

"Hospital…Amanda…" was all Sara caught of the first line of the conversation. Whoever he'd called replied and Nick answered a no. The next line she heard blew everything home.

"She's hollow, Cath. I'm scared." She wanted to scoff, wanted to laugh. He was scared? She'd just lost her best friend, who had a daughter that now had no mother. Not to mention most of he aunts were dead and her father was going to go to prison for at least two counts of murder one. What was she supposed to do? She felt his other arm wrap solidly around her as he ended the call.

"Why did it have to be Amanda?" Sara whispered, her voice as small as a child's.

"I don't know, honey," Nick answered softly, pulling her to the side as David entered. He smiled at the coroner and waved him about his work.

"I want to go home," Sara whispered. Nick pulled her tighter against him.

"Honey, we have to go back to the lab. Bekki needs to know about her mother." Sara stiffened but reluctantly agreed.

-

Sara knew by the look on Catherine's face that she looked horrible when she walked back into the lab but she could also tell that the blond had some words of wisdom for her. The two women faced each other in the break room.

"Chances are you'll get Bekki," Catherine began without warning, catching Sara off guard. Her rational mind had already told her this and she continued to stare forward blankly.

"Sara." She felt a shake as Catherine moved, sitting down beside her.

"I know you lost a best friend, and trust me, I know what that feels like, but you have a little girl asleep in your boss' office that needs to se you as a strong woman. You can't shut down on us Sara, you can't shut down on her." Sara met Catherine's eyes reluctantly but Catherine held the gaze relentlessly.

"You missed how she shattered Sara. She's ten years ole. Her mother and most of her adoptive aunts were killed by her psycho father." Sara knew Catherine was right, as always. Bekki did need someone strong, someone who she could depend on, especially now. She would get her moment to break down and mourn her friend, but Bekki came first. Then Catherine threw in the sucker punch.

"She needs someone, Sara. She needs you."

* * *

I'm trying to get this done.

It's getting hard to write, for the second time. The first time it was someone looking in and now its someone on the inside. _I_ almost cried writing this chapter and I'm the author! I knew what was going to happen!

Anyway, hope you like.

Kavi Leighanna


	10. Invisible Blame

**Chapter 9**

**Invisible Blame**

Sara watched Brass bring in an angry Anthony Lopez and inched closer to Nick. She wasn't sure if she could handle this. Warrick began, asking about the story and pushing the subject of Amanda and Bekki. She shivered and Nick ushered her out of the room, muttering an apology to Catherine and Grissom. He walked her outside and pulled her into his arms. She burst into tears.

"What's wrong with me?" Sara whispered suddenly when her sobs had died down. Nick pulled back, surprised at her question.

"Sara, nothing is wrong with you." He took her face in his palms and made her look at him.

"Catherine told me about Bekki, about her talk with you, and look at how strong you're being for that little girl, honey."

"It should be me in that morgue, not Amanda," Sara said, a fresh wave of tears blurring her vision. "Look at what happened to Catherine. The bastard held a gun to her head! All to get to me, to find me, to make Amanda suffer!" Nick's mind worked frantically to process everything Sara was saying.

"Where would Bekki go?"

"Catherine's a better mother than me."

"You don't know that, Sair. You've never been a mom."

"I should have been in that hospital, I should have been with Amanda so she knew Bekki would be okay."

"Sara, she knows. She trusted you with her life—"

"And now she's dead!" Nick had known it was a bad choice of words but continued anyway.

"And she trusts you unconditionally with Bekki's. Nothing, I repeat, nothing is wrong with you Sara, and none of us blame you for Amanda's death."

"I do."

-

Sara walked into the holding cell where Anthony Lopez was being kept.

"Sara?" She allowed her breath to rush out of her lungs in relief at his subdued tone of voice.

"Tony."

"Can you do me a favour?" The eyes that met hers were not those of the crazy murdered she'd seen in the interrogation room. His expression held remorse and a touch of self-loathing. Sara found herself giving in.

"Amanda's will… I'm supposed to have Bekki," he said.

"You can't if you're in jail."

"Which is where I'm headed. You'll take care of her, right? You'll take care of Bekki?" Sara smiled softly. A part of her was apprehensive about taking a clone of her dead best friend, more importantly of taking a child in general, but he'd asked her so sincerely.

"Yeah," she said finally. "I'll take Bekki."

* * *

I'm sorry this took so long and that it's so short. I've been swamped with work (still am but its Saturday and I've got hours this afternoon to do it while I'm sitting bored in a drama practice) but I'm making an exception for this chapter because I wanna put it up.

Hope you enjoyed!

Kavi Leighanna


	11. Mommy's Little Girl

**Chapter 10**

**Mommy's Little Girl**

Sara tried to keep calm while she sat in the courtroom but she had never been so excited about not being on a case in her life. It had been a long and trying month. Bekki, who had predictably taken her mother's death hard, had only returned to school yesterday. She was moving in with Sara and Nick that night, after staying the month with Catherine and Lindsey, the best place Sara could think of while Bekki came to terms with her mother's passing. Sara did pick Bekki and Lindsey up from school and they had dinner together, allowing Catherine some time alone. This eased Bekki into the switch because she'd already been living with Catherine for a couple of days before her mom's death.

Catherine had been a complete angel throughout the entire month, taking vacation weeks saved up over her years working with the LVPD and had worked with Bekki and Lindsey, home schooling them to keep both girls up to date on schoolwork. It gave Bekki time.

"Sara?" Catherine whispered, poking her side lightly, jolting her from her thoughts. "Sentencing."

Sara found herself transfixed by the jury as one stood to recommend sentencing.

"We recommend life without parole." Catherine stood with Sara. The brunette breathed deeply and spoke.

"I talked to child services about Bekki because she doesn't want to go to a foster home," she said. Catherine faced her, eyebrow raised.

"And?"

"They said they'd talk to Tony."

"Have they?" They began to stroll out of the courthouse as Sara nodded.

"He wants her to stay with me," she said softly, trying her greatest to keep the fear from her voice. If Catherine caught it, she didn't say anything as she slipped on her sunglasses. Sara vaguely heard the call Lindsey shouted at her mom. She did hear the end of Catherine's reply.

"…touches on it." Sara's eyes automatically searched for Bekki's dark head. Sara found her in the back of the group, eyes downcast, but when the courthouse doors opened, she made her way to Sara's side. Bekki gripped Sara's hand tightly as Scott Paolini, Jack Banning and Anthony Lopez were led towards Nick, Warrick and Grissom down at the curbside. Sara didn't even realize that Bekki's class had moved inside the building. Lopez stopped his guard for a moment.

"Sara?" Her heart began to beat double time as she acknowledged him with a raise of her head.

"Take good care of my little girl." Sara couldn't help the small smile that flitted across her face as her arm tightened around Bekki's shoulder.

"I will Tony. For Amanda." The guards led the men to the police cars as Sara and Catherine watched with a tinge of satisfaction.

"It's over," Sara heard Catherine whisper as the cars drove off.

"Yeah, its over." Sara and Catherine led the girls back into the building to finish their field trip. Sara hugged Bekki tightly, assuring the girl with whispers and promising, as always, to pick them up after school. Then Catherine and Sara turned and walked back into the Vegas sun.

-

As the months progressed, Bekki had become more animated and lifelike, less down cast and more like her usual self. Sara couldn't say she'd done much to help – though of course others would strongly disagree – but it was Catherine who had suggested they find a therapist for Bekki to deal with such a big loss. The older woman had said that was something she regretting not having for Lindsey when Eddie was killed. She'd assimilated right back into the daily routine of school after moving in with Sara and Nick and every one in the lab was confident that custody would be awarded to both of them. The only thing left, was the final decision.

Sara and Nick sat in the courtroom on the 23rd of December, a day they had remarkably received off because of their brilliant work on the Lopez case.

"You wait, he'll call us in five minutes into shift," Warrick had scoffed as the first one to talk after hearing the news. But neither Sara, nor Nick sitting in the seat beside her in the courtroom, had been paged for work.

"Miss Sidle, Miss Bell seems to enjoy her time with you and seeing as you have a stable life, I believe the best thing for her is to stay with you until a relative may be found." Sara breathed a sigh of relief as Bekki came running at her from the gallery behind the benches. She wrapped the girl up in her arms, hugging her tightly.

"Aunt Sara?" she asked softly. Sara crouched down to her level.

"Yeah, Bekki?" Sara watched the little chest rise and fall heavily, as if she wasn't sure that she should be asking the question.

"Can I call you Mommy?" Sara burst into tears.

"Of course you can sweetie," she managed through her sobs. "Of course you can."

"And Nick Daddy?" Sara looked up at Nick where he stood, hovering over them, protecting them. He graced them with a smile.

"If that's what you want." The resolute look on Bekki's face said it all and Sara found herself in hysterical tears again.

"Mommy... why are you upset? You're crying."

"Honey, I'm not upset." Nick crouched down beside them, tears shining in his eyes too.

"We're just really happy that we're all a family." Bekki's face lit up with a grin.

"Yup. One big happy family."

* * *

I know that's probably really really weird, having Bekki call Sara "Mom" a month after her real mother died, but hey, they're my play toys and I'll do what I want with them.

By Bekki saying that though, SHE IS IN NO WAY FORGETTING AMANDA! Don't worry.

I'm probably going to skip through Christmas because it's all pretty much in **Subtle Clues** and I'm just that lazy. Not to mention I have the sequel to the former in the works and really should be updating that NOW!

Kavi Leighanna


	12. Great Intentions

**Epilogue **

**Great Intentions**

It wasn't like Catherine to be late and even Warrick was getting worried. Sara found herself a little on edge as well. Bekki had begged her to stay at Lindsey's for the day, to which Sara had agreed easily, it being their last day off. Now, she was getting worried.

Finally, Catherine breezed in, though the look on her face was anything but calm.

Sara watched the scene in silence as the blond took a seat beside her in a huff. Grissom, who had made it there much earlier, raised an eyebrow. Sara jumped when Catherine exploded.

"Forty-five minutes!" Sara couldn't hold in the grin that blossomed. Bekki was notorious for taking her time getting ready to go and it seemed Catherine had experienced this first hand.

"I told them we had to leave in a half an hour, but no! It took forty-five extra minutes tacked on to that half hour!" Then Sara noticed the sparkle on the older woman's left hand. She grabbed it, her grip rougher than she'd intended.

"Catherine Willows! Were you planning on keeping this from us?" she asked, her eyes darting from Catherine to their supervisor and back again. The annoyance faded quickly from Catherine's gaze as contentment spread through her posture.

"Gil and I have some news…"

-

Sara was more than excited for Catherine and she voiced that to Nick on their way to the crime scene. She chalked it up to pure luck that they got the chance to work together, especially since Grissom knew. However, he constantly paired himself with Catherine.__

_But they've always worked well together,_ the devil's advocate that took root in her brain pointed out. She hated that voice; it was always right. Catherine and Grissom worked well together, even though they'd been in love with each other for seventeen years.

"Do you think Grissom's testing us?" she asked him. Nick glanced over at her, surprised at the question.

"Testing us?"

"This working together and having a personal relationship," she answered, keeping her eyes fixed on the buildings. Nick scoffed.

"He specifically brought you in years ago, Sara, and he's worked with me for longer. Do you think he doesn't trust us?" By his words, she knew he though she was being silly, that she was overreacting, but even as much as she loved Nick, there was still a part of her intent on making sure she kept up her performance in front of Grissom. She shrugged indifferently, but Nick caught the tension in the gesture. He smiled, stopping the car and putting on the break as they arrived at a park, the police sirens flashing far in the distance.

"Nick?"

"Get out of the car, Sair. We're going for a little bit of a walk. The crime scene can wait." She did as she was asked, albeit reluctantly, and they headed off, hand in hand, into the trees. He stopped her in a small clearing where fireflies flickered. She smiled, the proverbial child in a candy store, at the flashing lights. He faced her and held her hands in his.

"Miss Sidle, yes, I do believe part of this is Grissom testing whether or not we carry our personal relationships into our work, however, he and I also discussed a couple of things about a week and a half ago." She watched him reach into his pocket and pull out a velvet pouch. He handed it to her and she pulled open the top, delving her fingers inside and pulling out a ring.

If this was an engagement ring it was different from all the others she'd seen in her life, and much different than the one she'd seen earlier. It was of emeralds and rubies, not a diamond in sight. One ruby was framed by two emeralds, then framed again by two rubies. Sara gasped.

"Sara, there's a reason there aren't any diamonds on here. Yes, don't ever doubt that I would marry you in an instant, but with our new addition and the last while, I'm not totally sure we're ready for that step." She gave him credit. He was right, they probably weren't ready. Amanda's death had hit Sara almost as hard as it had Bekki and the three of them – Nick included – were still working on that family thing.

"I give this to you as a ring of intent. I will marry you someday." Sara smiled happily, nodding as she slipped the ring on her finger.

"I'll marry you too," she said, leaning up. He caught on quickly and leaned down, pressing his lips firmly to his. When they finally broke away, air an issue, Sara snuggled up to him. They stood like that for a few moments.

"Shall we go?" Nick asked. Sara scrunched up her nose, not really wanting to leave, but knowing they had to.

"Alright," she said reluctantly, pulling away but not losing contact. They walked hand in hand back to the SUV and climbed in, driving the few miles to the crime scene. Detective Brass was there, pad already out and pen in his right hand.

"Vic's name is Diana Swann…"

* * *

AND I'M DONE! This one turned out a lot shorter than Subtle Clues cuz I stuck a whole lot of stuff down into a couple of chapter. That and Sara didn't really take part in the investigation as much as I think I'd originally anticipated. However, I hope you guys liked this, especially since its probably a little bit darker than Subtle Clues. Now I can get back to work on Subtle Likenesses.

I'm thinking about another side story, this one to Subtle Likenesses, but if I end up putting all of the shipper moments in that one, I'm not going to bother. I might (HUGELY STRESSING THE MIGHT) put up a sequel of some sort, at some point. We'll have to wait and see.

I hope you guys really liked this. I wrote the last couple for you reviewers that told me it was good. modest shrug

Kavi Leighanna


End file.
